Apparatus for extracting oil.



No. 660,758. atented on. 30, I900.

, E. muzmsus.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRAOTING OIL.

(Applies-flan filed Apr. 2, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

UNiTED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

EMILE MAERTENS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING OlL-.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,758. dated October 30, 1960.

Application filed April 2, 1900. Serial No. 11.067- (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it knownt-hat I, EMILE MAERTENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Provideuce, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful improvements in the art of cleaning wool and other animal fibers with volatile solvents, the object being to obtain the Wool or fiber in a superior workable condition and to recover the by-products, such as wool-fat and the potash, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates more specifically to the process of removing with water or aqueous solutions the residual solvent and potash salts which remain in the material under treatment after the fatty, oily, resinous, or other matters have been extracted therefrom with solvent, and is designed for use in establishments where existing conditions make such a process possible or desirable.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a general elevation of the apparatus with the digester and the cage or basket which it contains shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan in partial section of the digester-cover B. Fig. 3 is a plan in section of the foraminous bottom G of the cage or basket. Fig. 4B shows a chain hoist with trolley and track.

A is the digester wherein the material to be extracted is placed while contained in a cage or basket-and is supposed to be provided with a suitable opening and cover for loading and unloading the material and closing the apparatus. It rests on the supports n.

B is the cover of the digester, and fastened to it through brace-posts b is a spider b, covered with a for-aminous plate b which when in use closes the top of the cage or basket.

0 is the bottom of the cage and is composed of the spider 0, covered with a foraminous plate a.

D is the cage, composed of the straight cylindrical part d, having two reinforcing-rings d and d Ring d supports the bottom 0, and ring 01 reinforces the top and is provided with eyes (i which are used for hooking onto said cage and to lift it by.

E is a cooler or condenser.

F is an oil-condenser.

G is a gas-holder capable of vertical motion in the tank g.

H, H, and H are storage-tanks for solvent, provided with heating-coils h.

I is a solvent-separating tank provided with steam-pipe 1 J and J are potash-liquor tanks provided with steam-pipes j.

K is a vacuum-pump.

L is a liquor-pump. M and M are valves connecting with a source of compressed air or gas.

The various elements of the apparatus are provided wherever necessary with suitable valved inlet and outlet pipes, as well as with gages, drain-cocks, thermometers, sightglasses, &c.

The method for operating the apparatus is as follows, the material to be extracted orv treated being supposedly raw wool: A cage D (of which there are several) filled with raw wool is brought from the wool-warehouse or wool-sorting room into the extracting-room by way of an overhead trolley and track or by any other convenient means and is with suitable tackle lowered into digester A. The cover B is then securedinto place, and a vacuum is created in the digester A by putting the latter in communication with the vacuum-pump K (which is started) by way of pipe lOO, valves 1 and 6, pipes 101 and 102, and valve 2, the air exhausted being dischpirged into the atmosphere by way of valve Que ipe 105. When a suitable vacuum has itained, the pump K is stopped and alves 1, 5,.and 6 are closed. Steam hav- H, (which holds solvent containing wool-fat ing been turned on to the coil h in reservoir in solution from previous operations,) the pressure rises in this tank, and when it becomes suflicient to force the solvent which it contains to the required height valve 7 under tank H is opened and the solvent passes through pipes 106 107 108 and valve 10 into the cooler E (where its temperature is regulated) and emerges from there by valve 11 and through pipes 109 101 102 and valve 2 enters the digester A at its top. When the digester is fullof solvent, valve 7 is closed and steam is turned off from the coil in tank H and turned on to coils h of tank H. Valve 8 is now opened and so is valve 16 on pipe 111, valve 15 on pipe 110, and valve 12 on tank H. The solvent from tank H (Which is less charged with wool-fat than that first used) now follows the same course as that followed by the solvent which came from tank H, and it displaces the latter in the pipes and in the digester A; but valve 16 is throttled down sufficiently to prevent the old solvent from leaving the digester at the bottom any faster than the new solvent enters it at the top. When a little more solvent than the quantity originally taken from it has been returned to tank I-I,valves 12 and 8 are closed and steam is turned off on the coil of tank H and turned on to coil h of tank H Valve 9 at the bottom of tank H is now opened and also valve 13 at the top of tank H, and pure solvent forced out of tank H now follows the same route as the previous lots and displaces the solvent which is in the pipes and in the digester and which originally came from tank H. The pure solvent is forced from tank H until a quantity of solvent a little larger than was originally taken from tank H is returned thereto, the digester A at the same time remaining full of the pure solvent. Valves 13 and 9 are now closed and the steam is turned off from the coil in tank H Atmospheric air let in by valve 17 at the top of riser 101, or, preferably, gas or air previously used for the same purpose and coming from holder G via pipe 112 and valve 18, is now admitted to the system. Valve 19 on pipe 113 under the cooler or condenser E isopeued and so is valve l-it on top of tank H and the solvent contained in the digester A, cooler E, and piping is allowed to drain into tank H When this is done, valves 10, 11, and 18 are closed, a vacuum is made in the system, and the air or gas withdrawn by the pump Kis returned to the holder G via valve 20 and pipes 123 and 112. When a sufficient vacuum has been obtained, valve 18 is opened, and the gas or air rushing in to digester A compresses the wool in the cage D and squeezes out of it the bulk of the residual solvent,which drainsinto tank H The vacuum-puinp can be kept running for any suitable time, when a vacuum is then again made in the system, the gas or air being returned to holder G, and all the valves previously opened are again closed.

When atmospheric air is used for the squeezing operation just described in lieu. of a stored gaseous medium, the condenser E is cut out of the vacuum side .of the system by closing valve 19, and the atmospheric air circulated through the wool and pumped out of the system is freed from solvent-vapors by being passed from pump K through the condenserEvia valves 21 and 22 and from there through the oil-condenser F via pipe 114 before being discharged into the atmosphere through valve 23 on pipe 115.

The depotashing of the wool, the removal of the residual solvent still adhering to the fiber, the rinsing of the wool with water, and the squeezing out of the bulk of the residual water are accomplished in the following manner: Tank J, which contains potash liquor extracted in previous operations, but which is not sufficiently concentrated to warrant vaporization, is heated to the required degree by steam admitted through pipe j. Valve 24 at the bottom of tank J, valve 25 at thebottom of digester A, valve 26 on pipe 117, and valve 27 on pipe 120 are opened, and the li'quor-pump L is put in motion. The solution drawn from tank J is discharged into the bottom of digester A, and as it rises it displaces the solvent adhering to the wool, and it graduallyascends, floating on the surface of the solution, until the wool is practically freed from it, and the said solvent forms a stratum on the surface of the liquid above the wool and the foraminous plate b when pump L is momentarily. stopped to allow the solvent to stratify and separate more completely. The line of Stratification of the solvent is indicated by a telltale or water-glass m or similar device, and according to its height valve 2, 3, or 4is opened, and the solvent proper and that part of it which is partially emulsified with the potash liquor is drawn off into the solvent-separating tank I via valve 2, 3, or 4 and pipe 102, 103, or 104, valve 6, pipes 101 121 111 11.0, and valves 29 and 30, the pump L being operated slowly until the separation of the solvent proper and the emulsified part thereof from the bulk of the solution is complete, when valves 24 and 27 are closed and valve 31. at the bottom of tank J, valve on pipe 120, and valve 33 on pipe 122 are opened. The liquor in tank J, which is a weaker potash solution than the one previously used or merely water, having been sufficiently heated by steam-pipej in tank J, the pump L is put in motion and at the same time valve 34 on top of tank J is opened. The liquor from tank J now ascends pipe 117 and through valve 26 enters pump L, which forces it through valves 35 and 33 on pipes 120 and 122 in the top of digester A. Valve 10 on pipe 119 is now opened, and valve 25 at the bottom of the digester is throttled down, so as not to let the liquor out of the digester at the bottom into tank J any faster than the liquor from tank J enters the digester at its top. When a quantity of solution a little larger than originally taken from tank J has been returned thereto, and which will have absorbed or dissolved the bulk of the potash salts contained in the wool, the pump L is momentarily stopped and valves 34, 31, and

26 are closed. Valve 36, communicating with a suitable supply of fresh water, is now opened and also valve 3'7 on top of tank J. The pump L being put in motion, fresh water (which can be heated, if necessary, by mixing steam with it, admitted through valve 38 on pipe 123) is delivered in the top of the digesterA and replaces the liquor originally drawn from tank J and which is returned to said tank in a manner as previously described in relation to tank J. When a little more liquor has entered tank J than was originally taken from it and which has now washed out the remainder of the potash salts contained in the wool, valves 37 and 10 are closed, the pumpL is stopped, and valve 39, leading to the sewer or to a storage-tank and valve 17,whicl1 admits atmospheric air, are opened, and the water contained in the digester A is allowed to run otf via valves 25 and 39 on pipes 119 and 118. Valves 39 and 17 are closed as soon as the water is out of the digester A, and the latteris put in communication with tank J via valves 25 and 40 on pipe 119 and valve 37 on top of said tank J. vacuum-pump is started and put in communication with digester A and tank J via valves 1 to 1b and 29 and pipes 100, 121, 111, and 110, and when a suffieient vacuum has been obtained the pump K is stopped and valve 17 is opened. The incoming air compresses the wool contained in the cage D and squeezes the bulk of the residual Water out of it, which water runs into tank J. This operation is repeated, if found necessary; but neither the pressing out of the bulk of the residual water nor of the bulk of the residual solvent in the manner indicated is essential to the process.

The wool is deodorized by drawing air or air and steam through it in either direction by the puinp K, the air entering the digester through valves 17 or 0, while the steam is admitted to the system through valve 38. The cover B is now removed; and the cage D is lifted out of digester A by suitable tackle hooked in the eyes 61 of said cage or basket, and it is sent by overhead trolley and track or other suitable means out of the extracting-room to some other part of the establishment, where its contents are emptied, to be further manipulated, while the cage is returned to the warehouse or sorting-room to be refilled with raw wool and again returned to the extracting-room.

The treating and handling of the wool in cages or baskets, as set forth, is agreat convenience and saves considerable labor and rehandling of material and simplifies the traific to and from an extracting plant, which is necessarily separated and at some distance from the main manufacturing plant.

The method of depotashing described in conjunction with or afteran extracting process is capable of producing fully-saturated liquors, thus insuring a minimum of evaporation, and it also reduces to a minimum the quantity of solvent which is dissolved by the treating liquor used for its removal from the fiber. When the solvents used need rectification, they are sent,via main 106, to the still, (not shown on drawings,) where they are separated from the grease which they contain, and pure solvent is returned from the condenser (not shown on drawings) via main 110.

The solvent in tank I is separated from the aqueous solution in said tank by distillation, and the traces of solvent dissolved by the aqueous solutions or potash liquors in tanks The J and J are likewise recovered by distillation before said liquors are sent to the evaporators and potash-ovens, the solvent-vapors being sent to a condenser via valves 30, 34C, and 37 and main 110 or by some other suitable connection.

With the aid of a vacuum and suitablywarm aqueous solutions the residual solvent removed by said solutions, instead of being floated off or removed in liquid form can be evaporated or separated from the aqueous solution in vapor form, drawn off by the pump K via valves 2, 3, or 4 and pipes 102, 103, or 104: and 101, valves 6 and 1, and pipe 1.00 and discharged into the condenser E via valve 21, and from said condenser emerge in liquid form through valve 19 on pipe 113 into a storage-tank.

It is evident that the solvent instead of be-' ing forced into the digester A by the pressure generated in the storage-tanks H H H can he delivered into said digester by the pump L by opening valve 32 and making pipes 106 and 116 intercommunicating, or the liquids employed can be forced into the digester by compressed air orgas admitted through valves M or M and which after use is returned to the holder G via pipes 110 101 112 and their valves.

The digester A can be provided with heating means, such as coils, whereby the liquids employed might be heated in the digester itself, if desired.

When solvent heavier than Water is used in the extracting operation, it is admitted to the digester from the bottom and the charged solvent is allowed to overflow at the top. The residual solvent in this case after precipitation is drawn olT at the bottom, the digester and the tanks being so connected that the treating liquids can enter or be withdrawn either at the top or bottom of the digester.

It is obvious that, if desirable, two or more digesters might be operated simultaneously and that this only involves a duplication of parts.

The oil-condenser F is provided interiorly with a coil, to which water or steam is admitted for either cooling the oil or distilling off the absorbed solvent, and the necessary connections for taking care of the solventvapors thus generated are of course provided. 1

In practice it is best to use two or more oilcondensers, so that while one is absorbing the other or others can be distilling or cooling.

The small valved piping 19 shown at the bottom of the digester is for the purpose of draining any liquids which may have accumulated between the inner shell of the digester and the outer shell of the cage into the bottom of the digester.

The method hereinbefore described of extracting or cleaning wool is made the subject of my application, Serial No. 11,066, filed concurrently herewith.

Having described my invention, what I I claim is 1. In apparatus for use in extractingoil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a digester, a surface condenser connected therewith, an oil-condenser, a gas-holder, a plurality of solvent-storage tanks and a solvent-separating tank, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a digester, a surface condenser, an oil-condenser, a source of compressed gas, solventstorage tanks, a solvent-separating tank and a potash-liquor tank, substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a digester, a surface condenser, an oil-condenser, an air-inlet to the upper part or to the lower part of the digester or both, a vacuum-pump adapted for connection with both the upper and lower parts of the digester, solvent-storage tanks, a solvent-separating tank and a potash-liquor tank, substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a digester,a condenser, a source of compressed gas,a solvent-tank, a solvent-separating tank, a potash-liquor tank connected With the digester and means for conveying the contents of said tanks to the digester and from the digester to said tanks, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a digester, a cage supported therein, a cover to the digester, a f0 raminous plate suspended from said cover and adapted to form a closure for the top of the cage, substantially as described.

6. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a suitable digester, a cage therein, a solvent inlet or inlets to the digester, a Water or aqueous-solution inlet or inlets to the digester and draw-off pipes at the top or bottom of the digester or both, substantially as described.

7. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes a nominally-closed digester provided With a removable cage hav ing a foraminous bottom sides.

8. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes a nominally-closed digester provided with a removable cage having a foraminous bottom, unforaminous sides and a foraminous closure for the top of the cage.

9. In apparatus foruse in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes a nominally-closed. digester provided with a removable cage havand unforaminous ing unforaminous sides, a foraminous closure for the top of the cage and a foraminous closure for the bottom of said cage.

10. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a suitable nominally-closed digester, a removable cage therein with unforaminous sides and a foraminous bottom and a solvent-storage tank.

11. In apparatus for use in extracting oil,

fat and for similar purposes, the com bination of a suitable digester, a cage therein With unforam-inous sides and a foraminous bottom, a'

solvent-storage tank, a surface condenser, a vacuum-pu mp, and means for circulating the solvent.

14. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a suitable digester, a cage therein with unforaminous sides and a foraminous bottom, a solvent-storage tank, a surface condenser, a vacuum-pump, means for circulating the solvent, and a solvent-separating tank.

15. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a suitable digester, a cage therein with unforaminons sides and a foraminous bottom, a solvent-storage tank, a surface condenser, a vacuum-pump, means for circulating the solvent, a solvent-separating tank, and a potashliquor tank.

16. In apparatus for use in extracting oil, fat and for similar purposes, the combination of a suitable digester, a cage therein with unforaminous sides and a foraminous bottom, a solvent-storage tank, a surface condenser, a vacuum-pump, means for circulating the solvent, a solvent-separating tank, a potash-liquor tank, and means for circulating the potash liquor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EMILE MAERTEN S.

Witnesses:

, M. I. FAY,

R. S. IVIATTESON. 

